Moonlit Stroll
by commodore-cavanaugh
Summary: Lily on a short journey through the Hogwart's grounds at the full moon encounters a stag at the edge of the forestLilyJames,Animagus


A/N Again another little one shot I had in my head- I know it's a bit cliché but I like this sort of thing.

Lily exited Hagrid's hut waving as the giant closed the door behind her. It was late and she as Head Girl was not setting a good example by staying out close to curfew. But Lily had promised that she would visit Hagrid's new home after him succeeding the former groundskeeper.

She walked slowly through the crisp night air the full moon shining brightly; winter would arrive soon, Lily starred at Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds and sighed. It was beautiful, so hard to describe in words but so enigmatic to the senses. She breathed deeply and thought of the happy times that she had had at the school. This was her last year and she would regret leaving the magical place of Hogwarts behind. She would happily stay at Hogwarts forever except for James Potter and his best friend Sirius Black.

She couldn't stand them and they're immature pranks. Black was bad but Potter was the worst he wouldn't leave her alone. Only today had Potter made another attempt at 'wooing' her, one which had still left her steaming with embarrassment hours later.

Lily found herself scowling as she walked and she hurried to straighten her face out. She was determined for no thought of Potter to bother her a minute longer. But still she steamed. She needed to cool herself and calm down and a seat below that tree with a view of the lake looked so tempting.

Lily moved hurriedly forward, hoping no one had seen her from one of the school's windows. She sighed in relief as she made the cover of the tree and she seated herself below its branches and let he mind wander. Unfortunately her mind again wandered onto Potter and his cronies Black, Remus and Peter. Don't get her wrong Remus was okay but Peter was another source of annoyance and frustration for the Head girl.

Lily picked up a stone and threw it at the mirror that was the lake, causing the mirror to ripple and then right itself. She had just picked up another rock to throw when a noise startled her. She glanced around far too aware of the trees proximity to the Forbidden Forest, something she hadn't considered when her temper was roused.

Lily continued to watch the forest while the hand holding the rock remained poised and her free hand searched the hard ground for another large rock. The noise again, Lily's roaming hand settled on a big enough rock and she held both hands at the ready while remaining nestled under the tree. She raised one of the rocks as sticks cracked and she saw movement at the edge of the forest close to her tree.

But she gasped and lowered her arm as a young stag exited the cover of the forest, standing alone in the grounds under the moon. She stayed still watching the creature that appeared to know that a human was watching it from under the tree. Lily lowered on of her rocks but threw the remaining one at the stag hoping to scare it off, leaving her to her solitude.

The rock flew through the night air and hit the stag. Lily immediately felt guilty at hurting the animal but was surprised to see the creature collapse on the ground with a pitiful moan. Lily immediately let go of all suspicion and ran to the injured creature and was horrified to see it was already injured and that her rock and finished it off. It had been unable to stand any longer on a leg that was slashed right through to the bone.

Lily kneeled next to the creature watching as the stag put its head up and snuffled the hem of her cloak. Lily giggled and ran her hand down the creature's forehead feeling how soft its fur was.

She turned away as the stag with big chocolate eyes watched her place healing spells on its hind leg, making Lily glad she had opted for that medi-witch course in the holidays. Lily finished off by binding the newly healed leg tightly to stop any of the newly connected muscle ripping as the stag moved.

The creature stood up evidently testing its bad leg. It looked at Lily and if it was human Lily would have thought it thanking her. Suddenly a howl rented the night air and the brush near the edge of the forest where the stag emerged, crackled as a huge wolf emerged followed by a black dog that appeared to be trying to stop the wolf at all costs. The Wolf merely batted the dog aside leaving the stag between Lily and what seemed like certain death. Suddenly the stag looked at her and Lily could almost hear her say "get on my back." She did so and found herself on a whirlwind ride as the stag attempted to outrun the Wolf who was again followed by the dog.

She lost her breath as the world rushed by; their pursuer still behind them until the dog finally overtook the wolf and caused it to blanch allowing the stag to disappear, with Lily astride it, into the night.

The ride for Lily was not over but when the stag eventually did stop she managed to climb off the creature before it collapsed in pain and exhaustion. As the stag hit the ground Lily lent down again intent on trying to revive it, when the unconscious form of the stag began to writhe with what Lily took to be pain. Lily's astonishment grew as the stag transformed into a human with a Hogwarts uniform on. Lily looked over the boy's figure in shock; she'd been rescued by an Animagus. Determined to see who had risked they're life to save her Lily lent forward to remove the boy's arm from covering his face.

Lily took one look at the boy's face and gasped. The boy weakly opened his eyes and smiled

"Hi Lily,"

James Potter had saved her, that revolting, cursed, frustrating James Potter. The one who went out of his way each day to annoy her had saved her. Lily looked up as she saw Sirius Black enter the clearing. She didn't ask, she knew and between them they managed to get James's unconscious form up to the school and as she left him Lily planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you."


End file.
